NOTE: I do not update these reports after they are posted so some of the links may not work after a while. If you find a broken link check the title in the alphabetical lists of alternative or general reviews at the end of this report.

SUNDAY FAN FICTION REPORT - 8/2/98
[Previous report was for 7/31/98]

Hi folks,

Tonight I'm including a SPECIAL SECTION for those of you who, like me, are quickly getting hooked on STAR TREK VOYAGER alternative fan fiction. G.L. has a new one :)

GENERAL FICTION:

RESURRECTIONby Joanna
Take this warning VERY VERY seriously - keep ALL drinks away from that keyboard when you're reading this - or be prepared for a quick trip to the computer store ;-) An absolutely HYSTERICAL look at the moments right after the events in SACRIFICE II - as a frustrated Xena tries to get her bard back and a VERY determined God of War "impedes" her efforts. One of Joanna's best to date. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!http://ausxip.com/fanfic3/resurrection.html

THE BURNING CANDLEby AH-Ladis
Promising new story that finds Xena and Gabrielle in Syria fighting the invading Roman legions when an injury robs Gabrielle of the Warrior Princess she knows and loves, leaving in her place a confused, scared stranger the bard must struggle to protect against the enemies closing in. Set in a foreign land and featuring a very original premise, this is an action-packed, well-written story with good potential. [unfinished]http://www.xenafan.com/fiction/content3/candleladis.html

SEVEN DAYS IN POMPEIIby DJWP
Chapters 4-5 are now available. One of the most popular talents in XWP fanfic returns to once again help us deal with XWS as she did exactly one year ago with the release of the much loved classic A BARD DAY'S NIGHT. Set after the end of season three, DJ's latest finds Xena on a lonely stretch of beach, dazed after the loss of her soulmate, turning to the one place where she knows she'll feel the bard's spirit most of all - in Gabrielle's scrolls. Alone with Argo she begins reading those scrolls and reminiscing back to one of the last adventures they shared while on a fateful visit to a city named...Pompeii. With their relationship still not fully healed from the horror of the rift, this was a time full of insecurities and worries for them but also filled with a renewed sense of hope amidst the infectious joviality of a city preparing for one of its grandest festivals. They are even further drawn into the Pompeiian's excitement when they happen across an old friend well-versed in the art of FUN - the incomparable Sappho who we first me in A BARD DAY'S NIGHT and who is soon once again doing what she does best - getting them all into TROUBLE! DJ's Sappho is one of the greatest creations in fanfic while her treatment of the Xena/Gab partnership remains heartfelt and wonderfully compelling, made even more so this time around by the poignancy of seeing the warrior remember a time when they were both so stubbornly holding on to the love between them. As an added bonus, DJ is including some nice pictures and maps of Pompeii to give the story that added flavor. With part one now available, this story already promises to be one fantastic read. DO NOT MISS!! VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!! [Note: review is based on a little more of the story than what is actually now available] [unfinished].http://ausxip.com/fanfic3/sevendays.html

FESTIVALby Melissa Good
At GREAT risk to my derriere I'm letting you know that part one of this has been slightly updated - and don't worry about the spelling - it's fine! ;-) None of us are supposed to read this of course so just act inconspicuous as you do. This is the sequel to PROMISES KEPT which finds the warrior and bard on their way to the Amazons to celebrate the Festival of Dyonisus. Missy maintains the general sense of playfulness and happiness the warrior and bard achieved in PROMISES KEPT after learning that their little family will be growing. The opening of this latest offering embodies what makes this bard's fiction so very special - a magical sense of connection and trust and love between two soulmates reveling in the simple pleasure of being together. Don't even bother with reviews of a Melissa Good story - just go read. On the strength of part one alone it already gets my HIGHEST RECOMMENDATION! :)http://www.merwolf.com/festival1.html

**SPECIAL SECTION - STAR TREK VOYAGER ALTERNATIVE FAN FICTION

JUST BETWEEN FRIENDSby G.L. Dartt
G.L. does it again with the latest installment in her outstanding JUST BETWEEN SERIES (other stories in the series are reviewed in the Special Reports Page). Set after the events in JUST BETWEEN YOU AND ME, the story has Janeway and Seven facing a new crisis when the former Borg's implants begin to fail and she has to undergo a life-saving operation. Determined to improve the odds of that operation as much as possible, Janeway approves the doctor's request that they create a new assistant for him, never suspecting the repercussions her decision will have. G.L. once again does an exemplary job of capturing the many different personalities that make up the Voyager crew. Her depiction of the Janeway/Seven relationship is an endearing mixture of love and playfulness, passion and innocence while the growing friendship between Seven and B'Elanna will have you in stitches and Janeway ruing the day those two became friends. G.L. uses a technique in her storytelling that is very reminiscent of the TV series itself, including subplots within the major story that are just as intriguing and thought-provoking. Like the rest of the JUST BETWEEN series, this is a fantastically entertaining read you will not be able to put down once you start reading. It receives my HIGHEST RECOMMENDATION!!http://ausxip.com/trek/justbetweenfriends.html

For those of you reading this post who are not familiar with the term alternative (alt.), it refers to ADULT stories that add a romantic element to the relationship between Xena and Gabrielle, depicting them as more than just friends.